MONTEREY COUNTY – Highway 1 is open to unrestricted, two-way traffic tonight a few miles south of Big Sur where a major rock slide that occurred on Sunday afternoon, Dec. 23, Caltrans District 5 has announced.

Caltrans has mobilized an emergency contractor to assist state crews and clear the large debris field, repair a 60-foot section of the damaged roadway and stabilize the slide area above Highway 1 at Partington Ridge Road.

As a result, crews opened the roadway at 4 pm this afternoon. At 7 am tomorrow, Friday, Dec. 28, one-way traffic controls with flaggers will be in effect through the slide area, which remains a very active repair/cleanup zone. Motorists can expect 20 minute delays during this time.

Highway 1 will remain open 24/7 for the weekend beginning tomorrow night at 5 pm for motorists and cyclists, who are advised to use caution when traveling through this roadway section. There is some rough pavement and loose gravel still on the highway near the slide area.

The highway had been shut down just south of Deetjens Big Sur Inn (Mile Marker 42) and at Lucia (Mile Marker 23) since Sunday afternoon. Our contractor and crews will resume roadwork on Monday then again on Wednesday after New Year’s Day from dawn until dusk until final repairs are made.

The rock slide south of Gorda at Mile Marker 7 was cleared at noon on Monday, Dec. 23 so there is NO closure at Ragged Point in SLO County.

Businesses in the northern Big Sur community south to Cambria are OPEN.

Caltrans reminds motorists to move over and slow down when driving through highway work zones. And we thank the Big Sur community for their patience, support and understanding during this latest incident.

For more information, please visit: http://www.dot.ca.gov/dist05/paffairs/ or contact Caltrans Public Affairs at 805-549-3318, the Big Sur Traffic Hotline at 1-888-836-0866 or the California Highway Information Network (CHIN) @ 1-800-GAS-ROAD.